Colibria Links Facebook to Mobile Services
- Thursday, February 4th, 2010
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Colibria has launched its Facebook Canvas application. Its an operator-branded portal that allows users to communicate with their mobile phone contacts directly from Facebook. By integrating key operator services within the social network, the Facebook Canvas provides a link between the operator and the 350 million strong online community.
The app presents a dashboard view of the users mobile contacts within Facebook, allowing them to communicate with these contacts instantly, using operator services such as SMS, IM and VoIP. Users can also see their friends status and their location on a map, and are able to update their own status. The app also gives access to features that the customer may not have on their mobile device, such as birthday reminders, proximity alerts and the ability to send pokes.
Colibria says that the app, carrying the operators brand, will spread virally throughout the social network as users invite their friends to use it. Once added, the app is embedded on the users profile, making it visible to their entire network of friends. When the user interacts with the app, automatic updates are posted to their profile, further exposing the service.
Colibria says that the Facebook Canvas app gives mobile operators the chance to capitalise on the popularity of social networks, while also driving mobile usage. According to a recent survey carried out by YouGov, 30% of British 18 to 24 year olds spend five hours or more a week on social networks. Furthermore, 60% of all British social network users use applications, with 21% using them daily. The demand to deliver mobile services through social network applications is high, with 27% of social network users saying they would like to be able to access their mobile phonebook contacts and communicate with them from within social networks.
There is a lot of innovation in the industry, but our Facebook Canvas Application demonstrates functionality that both excites the user and provides value to operators, says Colibria CEO, Keith Gibson. While operators do recognise that social network integration is important to the user, they also need to look at ways to harness the power of these sites for business. Apps are a great way to drive mobile usage, encourage customer loyalty and even win customers from the competition.